thrusterGoing to the gym and throwing around some iron is actually pretty easy. Most gym-goers have a general idea of what a pushup looks like or how to use the leg press machine, but what’s lacking, is the knowledge in deciding what exercise choice makes the most sense.

Choosing the best exercise based on your specific training goals, previous injury history and current fitness level can be a little tricky, especially with the vast amount of contradictory fitness information out there. What’s important to know is that not all exercises are created equally. Certain exercises are actually more effective than others at achieving specific training outcomes; therefore, it’s fair to say that a leg press has a different training outcome compared to a barbell back squat.

To help clear up the confusion, I collaborated with the top fitness professionals in the industry to come up with a list of exercise favorites, which are all context based and outcome specific. Remove the guesswork from your training and check out my debut article on Livestrong.com “16 Exercise Favourites from the World’s Best Trainers.”

Here’s a short video of me explaining my favourite exercise for driving your metabolism and calorie burn into overdrive: The Thruster

I prefer this exercise be performed with kettlebells but dumbbells work too. I’m not a huge fan of thrusters with a barbell because the rigidness of the bar doesn’t play to well with banged up shoulders or stiff spines. Those people shouldn’t be doing thrusters in the first place, but I’ll leave that for another day.

Enjoy the read and please leave your comments below.

-JK

I heard somewhere that achieving your health goals is determined largely by what you do in the kitchen. I am grateful to have found Julia who brought direction and accountability to this most important piece for me. Having Julia in my corner has brought me confidence and certainty that I am on my way to achieving my goals. I highly recommend her if you are serious about making a change and feeling better about your health.

JKC was recommended by a previous trainer who followed Jon online. He thought Jon’s approach to training was excellent. JKC employs well educated trainers who are very particular about technique and form. I have never injured myself because the trainers know what they are doing. They can always answer any questions I ask about my training. As well the trainers are friendly contributing to a relaxed and friendly atmosphere at the gym.

I chose JKC because I was looking for something different. I’ve seen and done the trendy workout programs before, I was looking for something that I knew I could see myself still doing a year from now! JKC has a lot of clients that have been going for years. That was a huge motivator for me! The small group coaching sessions are great and I really enjoy the format. It’s nice having 2-4 people working-out with you during your session. The camaraderie is great, everyone is very upbeat and positive – zero gym judgment!

I had been struggling with work-life balance resulting in not exercising or playing hockey as much as I had been doing in the past. In addition to being out of shape, I was starting to experience some back/shoulder issues and realized I needed to make some changes. Around this time, a friend (who was also a client) recommended JKC and that’s when I started!

You really feel part of a community where everyone is welcoming and supportive. You get a program that is designed specifically to achieve your goals, with the ongoing coaching, progress tracking and support required to achieve them. The JKC team are very knowledgeable about fitness and conditioning, and very engaging with everyone to answer questions or discuss anything and everything training related. I also like the flexible scheduling and gym times that work for my schedule (I like early mornings and evenings).

Not having much if any experience with professional gyms I though it would be along the lines of going to a facility and doing your own thing, getting some instructions from time to time, if you asked for it, and for most part working out on your own, in a large impersonalized setting. I was a bit apprehensive as I figured I’d be standing around a lot looking at all this equipment wondering what to do with it, or worst doing something to hurt myself. Well I couldn’t have been more wrong. Both Jon and Thomas are very attentive, professional trainers, who lay-out an exercise program, from start to finish, for you. They demonstrate the exercise they want you to do and then watch you do it to make sure you got it right. Jon and Thomas are very thorough, patience and non-assuming.

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